Sweden to Drop Assange Sex Assault Probe as Deadline Expires

44-year-old Australian can still however be prosecuted for the more serious claim of rape…

Swedish prosecutors are set to drop a sexual assault probe against Julian Assange on Thursday when the case reaches its expiration date without investigators having succeeded in questioning the WikiLeaks founder.

Two of the four allegations against Assange — who has been holed up at Ecuador’s London embassy since 2012 to avoid extradition — are reaching their statute of limitations after five years.

The accusations involve one count of sexual assault and another of unlawful coercion. A separate allegation of sexual molestation will run out on August 18.

The 44-year-old Australian can still however be prosecuted for the more serious claim of rape, which carries a 10-year statute of limitations and expires in 2020.